Too many young people in this country today do not know or choose to ignore the injustices and indignities of slavery and discrimination that blacks as a people suffered in this country over a long, long period of time, and continue to suffer today.

I believe that personal accountability in the key to the uplift of blacks as a people in America, but I cannot ignore the circumstances that have bred the current situation. People seem to think it is possible to wave a magic wand and the problem will go away, or they otherwise suggest that no one except for blacks themselves are responsible for their social and economic condition, and/or they seem to want to pretend that slavery and discrimination never happen, was not big deal, or that there are not lasting consequences of these offensive and debilitating systems.

Jim Crow is just another name for apartheid. Blacks in America were beaten, maimed, raped, castrated, lynched, and forced to subordinate themselves as a people for several hundred years in this country.

The truth be told, it has been less than 40 years in America's long history that blacks here have lived or experienced anything close to fairness and equality, and it has only been in last 10-15 years that America has not at every turn outwardly and with intention resisted real progress in the black community.

Before, the 1970's, it didn't much matter what education blacks had. In the 50's, 60's and 70's, Blacks remained victims of racism, and were subordinated to employment that was not commensurate with their educational attainment. They were locked-out of educational and employment opportunities, their neighborhoods were red-lined, and they were considered inferior to the majority culture.

Until recently, In the eyes of our nation, blacks had a "place" in our society, and they were severely punished if they did not know and stay in their place. This is real, not make believe. I don't know any Asian or other ethnic minority group that has had the same experience in America.

The intent of the Policy Bridge article and report certainly was not to force a discussion of blame and fault in the current situation black males in particular find themselves. It merely highlighted an urgent and dire problem that must be addressed.

The article's only call is for bold leadership, vision, tenacity and an acute understanding of the scope and breadth of challenges facing African American males that the situation can improve.

The only question that now matters is what are "we" going to do about it, and placing blame and doing nothing certainly is not the answer.

I'll make you a deal. You thank white America for over a trillion dollars transferred from whites to blacks, for the 300,000 Northern white soldiers whose sacrifice made abolition possible, and for four decades of continual white guilt-tripping that has convinced millions of young white Americans that they're not worthy of even having a posterity, and I'll promise to try and manage a "thank you." I'll try, that's all I can say.

As for black inventions:

(1) Charles Drew did not isolate blood plasma; he supervised programs for the collection and shipment of blood and plasma.

(2) Garrett Morgan did not invent the first known traffic signal. It appeared in London in 1868, designed by JP Knight. Morgan also did not invent the gas mask, which first appeared in Scotland in 1854.

(3) Daniel Hale Williams repaired a wound in the heart sac, not the heart itself, nor was he the first to do so.

Google "black invention myths" for a hefty dose of reality.

Sadly the Black community for example have high drop out rates, have high minimum wage jobs, and living in regulated rentals. It all leads back to the main key...education. If you drop out of school, How can an individual succeed in life? Many factors lead to the high drop out rates...parents and the influences our young kids are expose to. The matter of the fact is...drop students leads to no higher education. To become a doctor, lawyer, business broker requires a college education. You dont have the education you dont have the jobs that pays well to live comfortable.

Every race have they good apples and they bad apples. But people in general who dont want to be a satistic they would fight for the opportunity. The opportunity is there if you want it...there are many aspiring stories from all cultures on how they made it in America ( The American Dream). Ex. Will Smith, Oprah, Montel, Jesse Jackson, Toni Morrison to name a few. Never have I heard them say they were prevented from doing what they had to do. They did it and thats what matters.

If the Black Communities were motiviated ( starting at home) we would have many educated young blacks helping make this Nation great!! Blacks are obessed because they choose to be. Life is not an easy road for anyone.

If one culture can understand the importance of education and its many benefits that lead to advancement, I'm confident that one day the black community, and all other races, will start to see the light.

I walked away from this article thanking my lucky stars for the parents I had, not because they gave me everything, but because they held me accountable for my behavior and choices. No one set up special programs for me. I did the research to get money to pay for school. I studied. I didn't go out and party. I didn't buy shiny things. I bought books, wore cheap clothes, and eat meagre meals. And when I decided to go back to school, mid-career, I did the same things over again. Oh, I paid for that myself. I didn't ask the government to provide a reeducation program.

Here's the kicker: isn't racism all about not seeing people as individuals? If we do see people as individuals, shouldn't we see each one's behavior as being a matter of personal choice and effort? If you want to be seen as individuals, stop asking for government-paid group benefits.

"...frustration, hopelessness, health issues, and other reasons."

The first three are self-inflicted. So are those other reasons.

This song got old years ago.

He also wrote:

"Drastic times call for drastic measures."

I guess the first trillion dollars spent in the War on Poverty wasn’t drastic enough.

The mainstream media asked if the American people were ready for a black President; after hearing Rev. Wright, Rev. Pfleger and Rev. Jackson, the question should be is the black community ready to accept a black candidate and finally integrate with the rest of society.

How is it that an asian immigrant can land on our shores and within one generation, marry, start a family, own a business and send his children to our nation's finest schools?

Although there are similar success stories from all races, until the black community embraces the opportunities afforded all Americans today and demands a culture of accountability, success, education and self respect, we will continue to face this chronic dilemma.

Although we can not change the past and the mistreatment of good people, by letting the past stand in the way of advancement, we are compounding the problem.

I have never once heard a Jewish friend tell me that the Holocaust has held him or her back from achieving one's potential.

What about the Mexicans or any other immigrant that comes here and can't read or write English, are we supposed to change everything for them too just because they chose not to learn English? PLEASE!

Cindy...Ga.